A few things to consider concerning DNA and surnames: One of the hazards of trying to connect surnames with DNA is that most of the surnames we now use did not come into use until sometime around the fourteenth century. As surnames became more popular, people living in an area would take on the name of their landlord or ruler, the area, a saint or religious leader, etc. People with the same name, living in the same area may very well have not had the same DNA. This means that many of us will find NO DNA connection with others of the same surname. It wasn't that long ago that the methods of identification that we now accept as universal did not exist. Before 1916 and the Internal Revenue Service (for US citizens) and the 1930s when the Social Security System assigned everyone unique numbers, AND before the introduction of "driver's licenses," which we've all come to assume EVERYONE has and we use for universal identification, a person could adopt just about any name he/she wished. In the early part of the last century it was very easy to take a new identity in many places. DNA results can be misunderstood or misused just as any other tool can. Frank Ross Barbara David <youstdavid@egl.net> wrote: David, You can still do the DNA test to confirm positively, if this new discovery is the truth.If any Douglas DNA evidence is available, you hit the jackpot ! Was Captain John part of the Scottish group who fought against Oliver Cromwell & were sent to America around 1654 as punishment ?? My ROSS ancestors were Barb in MI David Ross wrote: > Well, not exactly, but the discussion of Hewitt's legitimacy prompted me to report this. I've been stuck for years trying to trace my Ross line in Virginia. My g/g/grandfather James Anderson Ross (b. 1822) was a farmer in Braxton Co. but I knew that he was born in Bath Co. to William & Elizabeth Ross. I was making an assumption all this time that William's surname was Ross and that I didn't know Elizabeth's maiden name. > > Those assumptions were blown apart three weeks ago when another researcher working on a family that intermarried with two of James Anderson Ross' siblings (Corely) wrote to tell me the facts. It seems that Elizabeth's surname actually was Ross, and her children (Sarah Ellen b. 1812, Sophia b. abt. 1814, Rebecca, b. 1816, Benjamin Franklin b. 1818, William b. 1820 and JA) all took her surname. Their father was William DOUGLAS (b. 1767 Fauquier Co.), a wealthy landowner in Bath Co. William had about 15 children with three women. There is no evidence that he married any of them. > > William's DOUGLAS line is very well documented, since he is descended from Captain John Douglas, who emigrated to America in1654 and rose to political prominence. But now I'm stuck trying to find out more about Elizabeth Ross. Her parents were named Robert and Mary (no more assumptions!), and she died in about 1830. She was commonly known as Betsy. > > I have located an Elizabeth Ross in the Federal Census records in Bath Co., VA for 1810 and 1820, with the appropriate number of people in the household. She appears to be a neighbor of several other Rosses, including a Thomas. Does anyone have a clue about this Ross family? Any help much appreciated, even though I'm now "illegitimate!" (and I was even considering doing the DNA test - that would have been interesting). > > Regards, > Dave Ross > Portola Valley, CA > > David Lee Ross > David Lee Ross Sr (b 1933) > James Douglas Ross (b 1901) > Harvey Oscar Ross (b. 1860) > James Anderson Ross (b. 1822) > William DOUGLAS (b. 1767) > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ROSS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > > ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ROSS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com